Angola Population 2019

Angola is a country that borders Zambia, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Angola borders the South Atlantic Ocean as well. The current population in 2019 is estimated at 31.79 million, up from 2014's estimated 22.1 million.

Angola Area and Population Density

As one of the least densely populated countries in the world, Angola has a density of 14.8 people per square kilometer (38/square mile). Angola is the 46th most populated country in the world.

Largest Cities in Angola

Luanda is the largest city in Angola, and is also its capital. The population of Luanda is about 8 million people- roughly one-quarter of the country's population live here. Luanda is also urbanizing at approximately 4% annually.

Angola Demographics

Formerly a colony of Portugal, Luanda has a rather diverse demographic in everything from food to religion. Although the inhabitants are from varying African tribe heritages, the most common language is Portuguese. In recent years, a significant Chinese populous has formed. There are about 259,000 temporary Chinese migrants in the country.

Angola completed a census in 2014, the first since 1970, and it gave the first accurate look at the country's demographics in more than 40 years. According to the census, the country's ethnic groups include: Ovimbundu (37%), Ambundu (25%), Bakongo (13%) and 32% other, including to Ovambo, Mbunda and Chokwe. About 2% of the population is mesticos, or mixed African and European, 1% is European and 1.4% is Chinese.

Angola previously had a large population of Congolese migrants, although over 400,000 have been expelled over the last decade. Before it gained independence, Angola had more than 350,000 Portuguese. It was recently discovered that about 200,000 Portuguese are still living in the country.

Angola Religion, Economy and Politics

Religious affiliations in Angola tend toward that of Catholicism and of the protestant faith; some ascribe to the Pentecostal sect of Christianity. Islamic faith has a following of an estimated 500,000.

The oil industry dominates the Angolan economy, and despite efforts to regulate this there seem to be too many political and financial ties to truly make a change. Monopolies are common in many industries and it is very difficult for most any kind of small business to survive in Angola. Only around 10% of Angolans have bank accounts.

Angola Population History

Angola has been run by a Marxist government from the 1950s until the 1990s and has resulted in a poor business environment and lingering communism-related issues. Things have stabilized somewhat post-Marxism, but Angola didn't write a new constitution and begin holding democratic elections until 2010.

Minefields from past conflicts scatter throughout the country, causing issues for all regime that is are constantly mining for Angola's mineral resources and drilling for oil. This has displaced many Angolans and put them in really bad economic conditions.

There was a drought in 2016 that caused 1.4 million to go hungry. Food prices and malnutrition remain prominent and cause serious food insecurity for many families and children.

Angola Population Growth

Although Angola is one of the less densely populated countries in Africa, it is one of the fastest growing. Particularly the city of Luanda is growing at an astronomical speed and living conditions are beginning to cause some social strife. Finding jobs is extremely challenging in a country growing this fast, but it is encouraging companies and retailers to have more of a presence here.

Angola Population Projections

Unfortunately, Angola's unmanageable growth rate shows no signs of slowing in the near future, with a growth rate in excess of 3% annually predicted to prevail for at least the next decade. The population is predicted to be 32,827,401 by 2020, 44,712,282 by 2030, and near 60 million by 2040!

Components of Population Change